Seat cover with storage for a motorized wheelchair or scooter

ABSTRACT

A removable seat cover having storage compartments for attachment to a wheelchair or motorized scooter. A substantially “T-shaped” seat portion has pockets disposed both laterally and forwardly thereon. When the seat portion is placed upon the seat of the scooter and attached thereto by means of straps, the lateral pockets hang downwardly from the seat on both sides thereof, and forward pocket (s) depend downwardly from the front of the seat behind the user&#39;s legs. All pockets comprising the seat portion are accessible to the user. A back portion fits over the scooter&#39;s backrest and provides additional storage in pockets contained therein. Both the seat portion and the back portion are removable for cleaning.

The present invention relates to a seat cover and a back cover for amotorized scooter and the like, the seat and back covers having storagepockets disposed thereon.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

Handicapped people confined to a motorized wheelchair or scooter employsuch ambulating devices for performing daily activities such asshopping. Storage space for personal articles and purchased articles isminimal or nonexistent. Many handicapped people hand a back pack fromthe chair or scooter to provide means for storing such articles. Thereis a need for a slip cover that can be releasably attached to amotorized wheelchair or scooter that provides organized storage space.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,938 to Gross, et al. discloses a wheelchair slipcover that includes an elongated member having an anterior portion thatis received over the front surface of the seat back, and a posteriorportion received over the rear surface of the seat back. The anteriorand posterior portions merge at an intermediate portion which isreceived over the upper side of the seat back. A first connecting memberextends from the elongated member and is wrappingly received about thefirst post of the seat back. A second connecting member also extendsfrom the elongated member, and is wrappingly received about the secondpost of the seat back. The slip cover, while releasably attachable to awheelchair, does not provide storage means for the user.

Maxwell, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,477, discloses a storage compartment fora wheelchair that includes a lower tray for holding at least one item,the lower tray or a holding member for the lower tray, being boltedpermanently to one arm of the wheelchair and the lower tray having anupper opening. A cover member is pivotally secured on the lower tray forcovering the upper opening of the lower tray when the cover member is ina closed position, the cover member having an upper surface whichprovides an arm rest for a user of the wheelchair. Detachable storagecompartments, and compartments for use with clothing guards, are alsodisclosed. The device is adaptable to all known wheelchairs, and can beused to replace existing arm rests. The device, which is permanentlymounted on the wheelchair, disposes storage compartments at points thatare inconvenient or inappropriate for the user when performing anactivity such as shopping. There remains a need for a releasablyattachable cover for attachment to a motorized wheelchair or scooterthat includes a plurality of pockets disposed for easy access by theuser.

SUMMARY

A combination cover and pocket system for an ambulatory device such as awheelchair or scooter is disclosed. The ambulatory device has a seatportion and a backrest portion. The seat portion has a horizontal topsurface and four vertical side surfaces; the backrest portion has avertical front surface and a vertical back surface.

The cover for the ambulatory device also has a seat portion and abackrest portion. The seat portion fits snugly over the seat portion ofthe ambulatory device; the backrest portion fits snugly over thebackrest portion of the ambulatory device. The cover further comprisesstorage pockets intergrally disposed therewithin.

The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth withparticularity in the appended claims. However the invention itself, bothas to organization and method of operation, together with furtherobjects and advantages thereof may be best understood by reference tothe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a somewhat front perspective view of a motorized scooter (inphantom) having a seat and back rest assembly affixed thereto.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a motorized scooter (again, inphantom) having a seat cover in accordance with the present inventionreleasably attached to the seat and back rest of the scooter.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the motorized scooter in accordancewith FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present invention showing the back portion ofthe seat cover releasably attached to the back rest of the scooter.

FIG. 4(a) is a top plan view of the seat portion of the seat cover ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4(b) is a front plan view of the back portion of the seat cover.

FIG. 4(c) is a rear plan view of the back portion of the seat covershown in FIG. 4(b).

DESCRIPTION OF NUMERALS USED IN THE DRAWINGS

-   -   10—scooter or wheelchair    -   11—seat of scooter or wheelchair    -   12—back rest of scooter or wheelchair    -   21—pocket    -   22—pocket    -   23—zipper    -   40—seat cover    -   41—seat portion of cover    -   42—back portion of cover    -   43—central section of seat portion    -   44—left lateral flange of seat portion    -   45—right lateral flange of seat portion    -   46—forward flange of seat portion    -   47—strap    -   48—strap    -   49—fastenings means    -   50—pocket for receiving back rest

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference first to FIGS. 4(a)-(c), the seat cover of the presentinvention is indicated at numeral 40. The seat cover 40 comprises a seatportion 41 (FIG. 4(a)) and a back portion 42 (FIGS. 4(b)-4(c)). Ifpreferred, the seat portion can be fixably attached to the back portioneither by temporary means such as velcro, or by permanent means such asstitching. The seat portion 41 includes a central portion 43 having aleft lateral flange 44 and a right lateral flange 45 attached theretoand integral therewith. The seat portion 41 further includes a forwardflange 46 affixed thereto. The seat portion 41 is generally “T-shaped”,with the forward flange 46 forming the “base” of the T. A pair of straps47 and 48 attached to the seat portion 41 have fastening means 49thereon, such as hook and loop fasteners, that are operable forreleasably attaching the seat portion 41 to the seat 11 of the motorizedscooter 10 (FIG. 1).

With continued reference to FIGS. 4(b) and 4(c), the back portion 42 ofthe seat cover 40 is shown in front plan view in FIG. 4(b). The backportion 42 has a pocket 50 therein operable for receiving the back rest12 (FIG. 1) of the scooter 10 therewithin to support the back portionthereon. The rear side of the back portion 42 is shown in FIG. 4(c). Therear side of the back portion 42 has at least one, and more preferablytwo, pockets 21 and 22 disposed thereon. A closure such as a zipper 23can be employed to secure articles within pocket 21.

Turning now to FIGS. 1-3, wherein a seat cover 40 in accordance with thepresent invention is disposed upon a motorized scooter 10, variousportions of the seat cover 40 are visible, depending upon the view. Thescooter 10 includes a seat 11 and a backrest 12. In FIG. 1, whichillustrates the scooter 10 in front perspective view, the back portion42 is shown disposed upon the back rest 12 of the scooter. In FIG. 2,which illustrates the scooter 10 in rear view, a rear view of the backportion 42 is shown disposed upon the back rest 12 of the scooter. Theback portion 42 includes two pockets 21 and 22. The pocket 21 includes azipper 23 to provide secure closure thereof. FIG. 3 illustrates thescooter 10 in side view, with the back portion 42 disposed upon the backrest 12 of the scooter, and the seat portion 41 disposed upon the seat11 of the scooter 10.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. The seat cover 40can be made from a fabric or a sheet of plastic. The pockets can beformed by sewing, gluing or welding the pockets thereinto. It istherefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

1. A combination cover and pocket system for an ambulatory device suchas a wheelchair or scooter, said ambulatory device having a seat portionand a backrest portion, said seat portion of said ambulatory devicehaving a horizontal top surface and four vertical side surfaces, saidbackrest portion of said ambulatory device having a vertical frontsurface and a vertical back surface, said combination cover and pocketsystem comprising: A cover for said ambulatory device, said cover havinga seat portion and a backrest portion, wherein said seat portion of saidcover fits snugly over said seat portion of said ambulatory device,wherein said backrest portion of said cover fits snugly over saidbackrest portion of said ambulatory device, and wherein said coverfurther comprises storage pockets intergrally disposed therewithin.
 2. Acombination cover and pocket system for an ambulatory device as in claim1 wherein said seat portion of said cover comprises a horizontal topsurface and one or more vertical side surfaces, and wherein at least oneof said one or more vertical side surfaces of said seat portion of saidcover comprises one or more storage pockets intergrally disposedtherewithin.
 3. A combination cover and pocket system for an ambulatorydevice as in claim 1 wherein said backrest portion of said covercomprises a vertical front surface and a vertical back surface, andwherein said back surface of said backrest portion of said covercomprises one or more storage pockets intergrally disposed therewithin.4. A combination cover and pocket system for an ambulatory device as inclaim 1 wherein said seat portion of said cover is fixably connected tosaid backrest portion of said cover.
 5. A combination cover and pocketsystem for an ambulatory device as in claim 1 wherein said seat portionof said cover is not connected to said backrest portion of said cover.6. A combination cover and pocket system for an ambulatory device as inclaim 1 wherein said cover further comprises connection means capable ofsecuring said cover to said ambulatory device.